Balenciaga: Master of Couture

The McCord Museum presents “Balenciaga, Master of Couture,” a major fashion exhibition organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum of London, and a North American premiere.

Revered by his contemporaries and future fashion designers alike, Cristóbal Balenciaga, from the Basque Country (Spain), represented the pinnacle of haute couture in the 1950s and 1960s. His craftsmanship, pioneering use of fabrics and innovative cutting, set the tone for the modernity of late 20th century fashion.

Balenciaga revolutionized the concept of dressing and the female silhouette. For him, perfection was an obligation and his extraordinary technical skils facilitated the task. As a result of his innovative personality, he sought greater simplicity and purity of forms. He was hailed by fashion designer Coco Chanel as the only true couturier amongst us, able to design, cut, assemble and sew a dress entirely by himself.

Discover the creations, the exceptional skill and the legacy of Balenciaga through this major fashion exhibition.

[…] The current Balenciaga show at the McCord Museum is no ordinary exhibition… The show […] will appeal not only to those who like fashion but to a broader audience: anyone curious about the creative spirit and how things are made.

—Montreal Gazette

About the McCord Museum

The McCord Museum is a social history museum that celebrates life in Montreal —its history, its people, and its communities. It Museum presents exhibitions, educational programming and cultural activities that offer a contemporary perspective on history, engaging visitors from Montreal, Canada and beyond. It is home to over 1.5 million artefacts, comprising one of the largest historical collections in North America, organized into the following departments: Dress, Fashion and Textiles, Photography, Indigenous Cultures, Paintings, Prints and Drawings, Decorative Arts, and Textual Archives.